Arthur Beatrice: Working Out

The London four-piece's debut album contains shapes that will be familiar to alt.music weather-watchers, but it still has several notes of distinction. The poise of their graceful, sweeping guitar lines and some remarkably blissful, infectious harmonies will help keep notions of those fellow travellers (Alt-J, The xx and Wild Beasts in particular) at bay. Indeed, as Working Out progresses, Arthur Beatrice kick up enough dust to cover their tracks when it comes to such comparisons. It's music made for highlighting a moody, broody modern TV drama, full of those minimal asides that work so well set against characters staring into space. In the midst of the precision of those muted monochrome passages, however, the band cast some strange and alluring hooks, such as Orlando Sheppard and Ella Girardot's icy duet on Grand Union and the gentle purr of Midland and Late. facebook.com/arthurbeatrice
Download: Grand Union , Midland